IN VIDEOS: Cannabis University at Cannabis Liberation Day 2017 in Amsterdam

For the ninth consecutive year the VOC (Union for the Abolition of Cannabis Prohibition) presented Cannabis Liberation Day, Holland’s biggest cannabis event, in Amsterdam’s beautiful Flevopark. This year’s program included speakers from Spain, Canada, the USA and France.

Since 2009 Cannabis Liberation Day has steadily grown to become the biggest and best known Dutch cannabis and hemp event, with visitors and media attention far beyond our borders. The formula: a free, family friendly protestival at a beautiful, green venue, with lots of information and entertainment and a careful balance between activism and commerce.

Cannabis University

New this year was the Cannabis University, a large tent with a full program of master classes, panel discussions and demonstrations about cannabis, featuring renowned speakers and experts, in collaboration with Cannabis News Network.

The Cannabis University was presented by Cannabis News Network’s Steven Kompier; an experienced director, reporter and producer. In 2016 he presented the cannabis oil debate at Cannabis Liberation Day and recently he also presented the Cannabis Regulation Seminar in March 2017.

Find below in chronological order the captured footage of the Cannabis University. Most videos are in English, some are in Dutch. There is also a handy playlist available.

Cannabis University in 11 videos

Masterclass: Cannabinoïden en Terpenen

Cannabis Career provides vocational training for coffeeshop employees. Co-founder Dennis De Rosa Spiering presented a masterclass on cannabinoids and terpenes, the main active ingredients in cannabis inside the Cannabis University at Cannabis Liberation Day 2017.

Note: we are considering translating this masterclass. Until then, you’ll have to use the ‘subtitles’ option in YouTube.

Masterclass Wernard Bruining

Wernard Bruining, “The Potfather”, is a true cannabis legend. He founded the first coffeeshop in Amsterdam (1973) and the first growshop in Europe (1985). In the nineties, he shifted his attention to medical cannabis. Inside the Cannabis University at Cannabis Liberation Day 2017, Wernard gave a masterclass on how to make your own cannabis oil.

Interview Michka Seeliger-Chatelain

For forty years Michka Seeliger-Chatelain (France) has been fighting for freedom and free access to plants. She published various books on cannabis and is co-founder of Mama Éditions. In 2015 she published her autobiography ‘De la main gauche’. Inside the Cannabis University at Cannabis Liberation Day 2017, Michka was interviewed by Cannabis News Network’s Steven Kompier.

Interview Alan Dronkers

Alan Dronkers, Ben Dronkers’s oldest son, is known as the family historian, but he’s also an expert breeder. Alan played a vital role in the Sensi Seeds breeding programs in the now legendary Cannabis Castle. Inside the Cannabis University at Cannabis Liberation Day, Alan Dronkers was interviewed by Cannabis News Network’s Steven Kompier.

Rick Brand

Interview Rick Simpson

From his native Canada, Rick Simpson almost single-handedly launched the global cannabis oil revolution: RSO (Rick Simpson Oil) has become a synonym for medicinal cannabis oil. Based in Eastern Europe he keeps fighting for legalization and broad medicinal application of cannabis. Inside the Cannabis University at Cannabis Liberation Day 2017, Rick Simpson was interviewed by Cannabis News Network’s Steven Kompier.

Clark French (United Kingdom)

One of the best known British cannabis activists, co-founder and board member of NORML UK, the Berkshire Cannabis Community and UK Cannabis Social Clubs.

Robert Veverka (Czech Republic)

President of Legalizace.cz, the largest Czech organization for legalization of cannabis and editor in chief of the wonderful Legalizace magazine. In 2013, Robert was a candidate for the Pirate Party in the European Parliament elections.

James Burton (USA)

The story of James Burton reads like a Hollywood script. A Vietnam veteran, who flees the war on drugs to become the main pioneer and first large-scale grower of medicinal cannabis in the Netherlands. After Bedrocan gained a monopoly on producing medical cannabis, Burton’s Stichting Insitute of Medical Marijuana (SIMM) went bankrupt.

Michael Knodt (Germany) One of Germany’s leading cannabis journalists. Micha was editor in chief of Hanf Journal between 2005 and 2013 and now works for various media. He is the host of Exzessiv.tv and Der Micha.

Sean Carney (USA)

Former Wall Street Journal correspondent in the Czech Republic and currently Director of Business Development EMA at Tilray, one of the biggest players in the international legal cannabis industry.

Interview Ricardo Baca

VICE called Ricardo Baca (USA) “the nation’s most prestigious cannabis editor” and Forbes counts him as “one of the seven most powerful people in cannabis”. In 2013 Baca became the first cannabis editor of The Denver Post, Colorado’s leading newspaper. He developed The Cannabist website and starred in the documentary Rolling Papers, screened in the Cannabis University. Ricardo Baca was interviewed by Cannabis News Network’s Steven Kompier inside the Cannabis University at Cannabis Liberation Day 2017.

Panel debate on Cannabis Social Clubs

Cannabis Social Clubs panel debate inside the Cannabis University at Cannabis Liberation Day 2017 with Rosaria Ricci, Martin Barriuso, Greg de Hoedt and Els Vermeesch.

Rosaria Ricci

Founder and chairwoman of the first Dutch Cannabis Social Club, Tree of Life in Amsterdam, since 2014. The club tries to obtain an exemption from the Opium Law for cultivation at a central location, linked to scientific research.

Martin Barriuso (Spain)

President of Basque Cannabis Social Club Pannagh in Bilbao and one of the most respected leaders of the CSC movement. In 2015, several board members of Pannagh, including Martin, were sentenced to eight months suspended prison sentence and a fine of €250,000. Their appeal is still pending.

Greg de Hoedt (United Kingdom)

Medicinal cannabis user and activist Greg de Hoedt is co-founder and chairman of UK Cannabis Social Clubs. He uses cannabis for Crohn’s disease.

Els Vermeesch

President of Cannabis Social Club Trekt Uw Plant Vzw. Hundreds of patients relied on the first Cannabis Social Club of the country Trekt Uw Plant. But after winning in court twice before, they’ve had to endure being tailed, their homes bugged, phones tapped and being GPS-traced for more than one year. This lead to a raid with excessive force by the Belgium Police, raiding 18 homes and making 3 arrests. Two members, including Els, were finally released after 2 weeks imprisonment. The third was released later.

Masterclass: Dabbing and concentrates

Hardly known in the Netherlands but very popular in the US, Spain and England: dabbing, ie smoking extremely pure and potent cannabis concentrates like wax, shatter and BHO. Tan, one of the specialists at Amsterdam’s Cannabis College, provided a masterclass on Dabbing and concentrates at the Cannabis University on Cannabis Liberation Day 2017.